Charlie Brown
Charlie Brown is the central protagonist of the long-running comic strip Peanuts, created by Charles M. Schulz, which is syndicated in numerous newspapers all over the world. One of the great American archetypes, Charlie Brown is popular and recognized for being a "lovable loser": a kid who suffers a lot, is very nervous and lacks self-confidence, but sometimes hopes for the best and tries as much as he can to accomplish things. According to Schulz, he is "a caricature of the average person," who is much more acquainted with losing than winning. He, along with his dog Snoopy, was ranked by TV Guide as the eighth greatest cartoon character of all time. History with the Macy's Parade Charlie Brown has appeared as a balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade since 2002, generally during the years when Snoopy has been absent. Charlie Brown (2002) Charlie Brown's first balloon portrayed him in a "chasing" stance, with a football balloon in front of him, referencing an annual recurring gag in Peanuts where he attempts to kick the ball before Lucy van Pelt pulls it away to make him feel miserable and powerless. This balloon led the parade in its first year and continued to appear until 2005. The balloon also appeared in a 2008 Coca-Cola commercial, in which he claims victory over a Coca-Cola bottle that Stewie Griffin and Underdog had previously fought over. Charlie Brown returned in 2012 with the football when Snoopy's "Flying Ace" balloon was retired from the parade. This return was brief, though, as the balloon would be retired the next year because a new balloon of Snoopy was introduced, pairing him with Woodstock. Charlie Brown & His Kite (2016) In 2016, the lovable blockhead appeared in the form of a new balloon, to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the beloved Broadway musical, You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown. This balloon featured Charlie Brown getting into his usual problematic predicaments, as he gets tangled up with his iconic red kite. The balloon made three consecutive appearances and was retired after the 2018 Parade. Defects * In 2004, Charlie Brown’s Football was partially deflated and was going out of control once it turned to 34th Street. Other appearances Charlie Brown has also appeared in walk-around form on the Snoopy's Doghouse float, along with Lucy and her brother Linus, except in 2012 when Snoopy took his place. This float was retired that same year, and a new doghouse float appeared in 2015 to promote the 50th anniversary of A Charlie Brown Christmas and the release of The Peanuts Movie. He only appeared on the new Snoopy's Doghouse float once in 2015, before being replaced by Snoopy for the following three years. In 2019, Charlie Brown reappeared in walk-around form, having given his spot as a balloon to the new Astronaut Snoopy. Music * "Linus and Lucy" Marching Band remix (2002-2005; 2012) * "Linus and Lucy" Remix (2016-2018) Gallery Gallery: Charlie Brown Category:Macy's Balloon Characters Category:2002 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Category:2016 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Category:Comeback Balloon in the Parade Category:Comic Book Characters Category:Cartoon Characters Category:2000s Balloons Category:2010s Balloons Category:Male Balloons Category:Balloons accompanied by novelty balloons Category:Raven Aerostar Balloons Category:Retired Balloons Category:Balloons accompanied by floats Category:Big Balloons